Guidelines

Guidelines for academic start-ups

Utilising knowledge gained from research carried out at public research organisations (valorisation) is important for society, particularly in facing its challenges and economic opportunities. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) play a relevant role in knowledge utilisation. The valorisation of knowledge by applying IPR can form the basis of a relationship with an established company or with a start-up. That means that there is a growing need for guidance on dealing with IPR for academic start-ups, especially considering the importance of stimulating the continued growth of start-ups and ensuring that there is no impediment to the upscaling of start-ups.

The aim of this Set of guidelines is to clarify for academic start-ups the principles that govern their access to the IPR of public research organisations. The approach will be to “apply or explain”, ensuring predictability and transparency in terms of what start-ups can expect in this area. Although it is usually a prerequisite for success, access to IPR is rarely an adequate condition. In practice, a culture of enterprise and a clear and stable mandate within the public research organisations prove to be equally important in achieving a viable start-up.